Post-Game: Flames tame Coyotes in preseason tilt

The Calgary Flames dressed a veteran-laden lineup against a young Vancouver Canucks squad on Wednesday evening and they lost. Tonight, they did the same thing against the Arizona Coyotes and won by a 4-2 score at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

The big difference? For arguably the first time this exhibition season, the Flames’ key players showed up for the majority of the contest with Sam Bennett (and his epic beard) leading the way for the home side.

The Flames got off to a bit of a sloppy start, taking three penalties in the opening period. On one of those disadvantages the Coyotes scored, as Mario Kempe took advantage of a net-front scramble to grab the puck and lift the puck over top of Mike Smith to make it 1-0. The Flames eventually answered back, though, as Johnny Gaudreau had a nice shot on a Flames power play that made it through Louis Domingue’s pads to make it 1-1.

The home side took the lead before the period ended, as a T.J. Brodie point shot was deflected in the slot by Micheal Ferland to make it 2-1. Shots were 8-7 Arizona in the opening period (6-3 at even-strength).

The second period was a bit disjointed, with a lot of whistles and weird penalties – including the vaunted face-off violation and Arizona’s goaltender being called for holding the stick on a Gaudreau breakaway.

Sam Bennett’s Beard sprang Gaudreau on another breakway at the end of the period. This time he scored to make it 3-1 after somewhat fumbling the initial scoring opportunity.

Shots were 12-6 Flames in the second.

After killing off an early penalty, the Flames made it 4-1 on a power play of their own. After a few nice chances on prior shifts for the PP unit, a Dougie Hamilton shot was blocked but the rebound went right to Mark Jankowski for a one-timer into a wide-open net. The Coyotes got a bit closer when Dysin Mayo scored with Freddie Hamilton in the box for a roughing double-minor, but that’s as close as they got. Shots were 16-3 Flames in the third.

Their best players showed up. Their goalie was good, their veteran blueliners looked like they were coming off a good night’s sleep, and their top line was pretty much dominant. Moreover, they shook off a rather pedestrian first period at even strength and managed to basically trounced the Coyotes five-on-five for the remainder of the game.

Gaudreau’s breakaway goal put the Flames up two goals heading into the second intermission. It was the goal they needed (from the right guy) to put the Coyotes to bed.

Joint Red Warrior to the top line of Gaudreau, Bennett and Ferland. They were superb. Jankowski also had a low-key good game, as did Smith.

(All figures via our friends at Natural Stat Trick. Percentage stats are 5-on-5.)

“The two goals, nothing he could do. Both on the power play, just kinda redirections, pucks to the net. Five on five he didn’t let in a goal. I thought he looked comfortable, I thought he moved the puck. I thought he did some good things when we were in trouble, even defensively, to break us out.” – Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan on Mike Smith’s performance. (He joked that he thinks Smith “tried to snipe it” on an attempted clearing pass/shot with the net empty late in the game.)

“One of the telltale signs of good players is when they play well with good players, they fit right in. I have no questions that he’ll be a driver on his line.” – Gulutzan on Sam Bennett’s performance (and the implications for his season).

Adam Ruzicka had two assists in Sarnia’s 4-3 shootout win over Guelph to open their season.

Matthew Phillips had a hat-trick and an assist in Victoria’s 7-1 win over Vancouver. He’s on pace for 216 goals.

The Flames (1-3-0) will likely make some cuts tomorrow to get down to roughly 30 players – he’d like to be at 15 forwards and 8 defensemen, “but there may have been some guys that have earned extra games.” Whichever players are left will be back in action on Monday in Winnipeg when they face the Jets.